It's only cos he cares
by Hell789abdv
Summary: Paddy brings his boyfriend around for a meal. One shot set after Brendan's release from prison.


One shot.

Set after Brendan gets out of prison. Established Brendan/Ste

* * *

He knew this would happen. He'd known the second he had given in and invited Rob round for dinner.

Eighteen months ago he had come out. Tired of hiding who he was. Who he had always been. Declan had given him the strength to come clean with his Ma who had always been homophobic, always making comments when she saw it on TV or when two men were walking down the street. She wasn't aggressive but all the same her disapproval was clear.

"It's because of Da." Declan always said. His brother didn't care who was with who, always open minded but he was straight. The apple of Ma's eye, the could do no wrong son that had a brilliant job, a very nice fiancé and a beautiful house at least on the inside.

"You can't help who you are." Declan had hugged him in alleyway by the pub after he had spilled his guts out. Too much Vodka, not enough beer to water it down, keep the truth inside. He was done with lying.

He had sat down with his Ma and told her with Declan sitting quietly to the side.

"No. You're not. You just haven't found the right girl yet."

"Ma I'm gay."

"No." She'd gone straight for the whiskey Michael her husband on the side and swallowed a double shot down in a way he'd never seen her do before. "It's just a phase."

"I've always felt an attraction to men Ma it's not new."

Her silence hurt more than words.

"I always thought I knew him. How could I not see it? He's had girlfriends." She hissed in the kitchen to Michael late at night when she thought he couldn't hear. "I just want him to be normal."

He is normal but in the heavily Catholic area of the City that they lived being gay was still something that he was meant to be ashamed of. He lost friends through intolerance. Had more than a few kicking's of lads that he'd grown up with. He gained new friends, proper friends that didn't care, some of them took him out into the scene. He'd had his eyes opened the first night but with his friends helped him to find his feet.

His Ma tried but there was this barrier there that hadn't been there before. This disappointment that was unspoken. She fawned over Declan and Claire even more.

"You're my only chance at grandkids now." She'd smile then give him this look.

When he'd applied for University's he knew he had to go away. Had to be his own person. He'd never brought any of the men he was with back fearing disapproval or worse embarrassment. He didn't feel comfortable to be who he was in his own home.

He got into Liverpool University studying business and accountancy, he'd always been good with numbers and he enjoyed working with them knowing that they were always what they appeared to be rather than words which sometimes meant the opposite.

Being in Liverpool had moved him within easy reach of his Da. He'd never really known him. Declan would tell him about him. The things that he had done. That he was in prison and he deserved to be there. He had a thirst for knowledge of his Da. He wanted to know about him. Wanted to get to know him, see what parts of him where came from him.

When his Da was released after ten years in prison he'd come to see them only his Ma wouldn't let him in. Declan had arranged for them to meet their Da separately. He'd been too angry then to appreciate him being back. He'd shouted at him for never being there for him, for never being his Da. But the fascination had reappeared when he'd calmed down and slowly he had began learning about him through emails and phone calls, texts and visits.

Ste wasn't a surprise in more ways that he was when his Da had introduced them over dinner one night in Liverpool. He knew his Da had a boyfriend. Declan mentioned him. His Da mentioned him. Meeting him it was almost like he knew him only he hadn't realised that his Da wasn't just with him he was madly, deeply in love with him. His Da was always softer with Ste around. Smiled more. Let Ste talk to him in a way that he wouldn't let anyone else. Looked at him like he was his whole world when he thought no one was looking.

His Da wasn't thrilled when he'd come out to him, he had accepted it with a grimace and a look of guilt. It took a few weeks for him to totally come to terms with it to take the guilt away. He's pretty sure that Ste had something to do with it.

He didn't particularly want a relationship like theirs, it was too... Much. Too much of everything. He'd seen their arguments when he'd stayed during the holidays so he could stay close to his friends. His Da had a temper, hot like a lightning strike and boiling off fairly quickly, Ste had a temper to match only his kept bubbling for longer. Neither held back. They shouted at other like they wanted the heavens to hear them. They both sulked. His Da disappearing off for hours, Ste banging cupboards and falling out with himself. Then his Da would come back, the argument would rumble on a little then suddenly disappear and peace descended and they were back smiling at each other best case, worst case he had to leave because he didn't want to hear them making up and his i-pod didn't have a volume loud enough to cover them.

He met Rob on a night out in one of those bars that he didn't go into because it was full of wine drinking overachievers showing off their latest Rolex but Hannah had wanted to go in there and pretend for an hour or so that she was just as well off. She was laughing at them not with them.

Rob was kind, good looking, generous, they were good together. He was a laugh and even though he was loaded he still liked going clubbing, wine from a box and pizza although he still liked to wine and dine him at every opportunity.

Rob had taken him to a family wedding and introduced him to his parents, his sister and brothers. Showed him off to all his rich mates. He introduced him to Declan when his brother had come over with Claire to see their Da and they'd gone for lunch but he knew that Rob was starting to get the feeling that he was embarrassed by him or something. He explained about his Ma but when he'd told him about his Da he ran dry of excuses.

This is how he's ended up bring Rob around for a meal. Ste had cooked them a spectacular three courses. He didn't miss that all three were his Da's favourites. Pacifying him with food.

"I talked to him but there's only so much I can do yeah?" Ste's way of warning him that his Da would be giving Rob a complete and full inquisition but perhaps not at the same level of aggression that it possibly could be. "You're his son and he's looking out for ya."

"I'm twenty two."

"You'll always be his little boy alright so just cut him some slack."

His Da had asked Rob just about every question under the sun. Job. Family. He'd cringed when he'd gone as far as intentions. Rob had taken it well enough answering politely and confidently, more confidently when he had placed his hand on his and smiled at him. He loved being able to reassure him it was worth the glare from his Da which was rich since more than once he'd caught him with his tongue down Ste's throat.

He kisses Rob goodnight deciding it's best to just get it over with and see what his Da thought.

"He's too old for you." He hadn't even turned around from shutting the door.

He took a deep breath.

"Men like him take advantage of young lads. He's only after one thing, he'll string you along then break your heart. I don't want you to see him anymore."

"Da!"

"I know men like that Paddy, he's no good for you."

"I'm not going to stop seeing him because you say."

"You'll do as you're told."

He had a Brady temper too and he had said things that he didn't really mean about his Da giving up the right to tell him what to do when he'd walked out on them, he'd dragged up things that were already settled between them because he loved Rob and he just wanted his Da to be supportive of his relationship. Accept the man he loved. His Da and slammed the door on the way out into the garden he went to follow him but Ste stood in his way and shook his head.

"Let him cool off."

He sat at the kitchen table picking at the label on the bottle of beer that Ste had handed to him.

"Why is he like this? Rob's good for me. We're good together."

"Rob could be the prime minister, actually no cos Bren doesn't like him… Rob could be the most perfect man in the world and your Dad still wouldn't like him because he's looking to protect you right. He'll get used to Rob you've just got to give him a bit of time. Took him nearly a year to stop calling our Leah's husband a waste of space and he runs his own building company."

"Do you think he's too old for me?"

Ste snorts then laughs.

"You and Rob are closer in age than me and you're Dad he just isn't looking at it like that. Age has nought to do with anything… I was about your age when I met him."

He licks his lips and looks up at Ste seeing an opportunity.

"How did you two meet? Declan says he was your boss."

"He was, I worked at your aunty Cheryl and Dad's club for a while... I blackmailed him for a job."

"You what?" Declan didn't say anything about that.

"Yep. All started from that." Ste gets a thoughtful look, a little sad, he smiles and sits down opposite.

"You've knew him before he went to prison. You were together then." He knows that but he's never had the opportunity to hear Ste's side of it. His Da isn't too forthcoming on details.

"We were… We were a bit of a mess really. I like us better now."

"What was he like before?"

Ste looks down at the table takes a mouthful of beer as if to consider what to say.

"He was the same as he is now to me I know a lot of people that'd say different but he's always been the same person to me he just wasn't as comfortable with himself. He didn't like himself very much. He always tried to be a good Dad to you even though he wasn't around you know."

He nods and peels a little of the paper back, scratching at the glue underneath.

"He loves his family and all those years he spent away from us, he still loved us. He'd do anything for you, you do know that don't you? And he'll come round on Rob cos he's a good bloke and he knows he is... At least he picked on age could have been worse."

"Really?"

"Lucas brought a girlfriend round once and Brendan called her a money grabbing little scrubber he was right like… He's just showing that he cares about you and who you're with because he wants you to be happy, that's all he wants for you."

He nods and picks at the label so more, the guilt gnawing at him. He knows that Ste's right.

"I didn't mean all that I said to him."

"Good. Have another beer I'll be about ten minutes."

"Where you going?"

Ste grabs his coat and his Da's and heads out the door into the garden he stands and looks out the window. He knows that his Da will be stewing, he hopes he is because he doesn't want to see him hurting.

His Da's sitting on one of the swings on the climbing frame that they've got for Leah's kids head bowed, hands clenched together. Ste lays the coat on the slide and sits down. He doesn't know what's being said only that slowly his Da starts to look up at Ste, starts talking to him. Ste stands and steps in front of his Da and wraps his arms around him. His Da's hands scrunch in the back of Ste's coat. He turns his back and sits back at the table.

When they come back in Ste hangs back.

"I'm sorry." He states immediately. His Da scratches the back of his head.

"You can see who you like and if you want to bring… Rob around again I promise to behave."

"Thanks." He stands and walks over to him and hugs him because he knows that it was hard for him to say that even if he doesn't believe for a second that he'll behave, but as Ste said it could have been worse and if Rob can't deal with his Da looking out for him then maybe he's not right for him.


End file.
